Fishing device.



R. J. HOWSE.

FISHING DEVICE'.

\ APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1912.

1,055,748. Patented Mar. 11, 1913 fil.

aaneen J. Howsn, or nooo, OKLAHOMA.

ET SHING DEVCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. il, i913.

Application filed June 1, 19l2. Serial No. 201,042.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that l, YRnUisiiv' J. Howes, a

lcitizen of the United States, residing at Hugo, in the county of Choctaw and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fishing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The present invent-ion relates to a device for catching fish, and has particular reter ence to such a device embodying a hook? staff upon which are niovably mounted in a novel manner a number of bait-hooks, so arranged that they are highly reliable in catching the fish when the latter strikes or bites.

An important object ot the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, having novel means for removing the bait-hook trom the flesh of the fish in a quick and easy manner.

A 'further object is to provide a. device of the above character, which will securely hold the fish in order to prevent its escape before being landed.

For a full understanding ot the present invention, reference is to be had to the following description and to thel accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l with the ative position; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bait-hooks in their open position;

Fig. 3 is abottoni plan view of the device;

and Fig. e is an enlarged detail perspective view of the baithooks and their support.

Thronghout the following detail descrip.`

tion and on the several figures et the drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a hook-statt having one end looped or provided with an eye 2 for connection with a fishing line, (not shown).

Disposed near and spaced from the free lower end of the hook-staff l is a swinging support, or arm 3, having one end forked, as shown, to straddle the hook-stati and be pivotally connected therewith by means of a pin 4, or the like. Rigidly attached to the outer or tree end of the support 3 are a plurality of bait-hooks 5, the same being of any well known or preferred torni. In the drawings there are two of the bait-hooks Shown, which are spaced sol as to be diss a side elevation of the device, bait-hooks in their closed or operposed upon opposite sides of the hook-statt 1. When the bait-hooks are in their closed position, the hook-stad 1 extends downwardly beyond the same, as shown. Y

The pivoted support vor arm 3 is held in its closed position by a reciprocatory rod 6 lhaving a pivoted connection therewith, as

indicatedvat 7. This rod 6 is flexible to a suitable degree, and passes through guide rings 8 and 9, which latter are fixed upon the hook-staff 1. Surrounding the rod 6 is a. compressible coiled spring 10, con'ned between the guide ring 9 and a ring l1, which latter .is fixed upon the rod 6. 'The rod 6 has its upper end bent to `forni a hook por# tion l2, as is particularly shown in Fig. 3,

which is to be engaged for moving the rod in opposition to the spring 10.v

In the use of the device, the bait-hooks 5 may be moved to their open position to receive the bait, subsequently to which they are released and are automatically returned to their closed' position by .means -of the spring l() and associated elements.V The hook-statt l extends down beyond they bait hooks 5, so that it enters the mouth of the iisli when he swallows the bait-hooks. These baitliooks penetrate the flesh of the fish and lsecurely hold him until he has been landed.

To remove the hooks from the flesh 'of the fish, the rod (i isA moved longitudinallyin opposition to the spring 10, thus moving the pointed ends of the bait-hooks away Jfrom the hook-staff and hence freeing them from the flesh of the fish, which flesh is held by the hook-statt troni moving with the baithooks. l

It is to be understood that the form of my invention illustrated is to be considered as a preferred embodiment of the same, and that certain changes in the ishape and ar'- rangementot the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as covered in the sub-joined claims. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: i l. A fishing device of the character described, comprising a hook-staii, a support pivotally connected with the hook-stati, spaced bait-hooks carried by the support to be disposed upon opposite sides of the hookstafi' when the support is in its closed position, and means to' swing the support with relation to' the hook-stati. 2. A device of the character described,

comprising a swinging support having .its

inner end forked, spaced bait-hooks rigidly mounted on the free end of the support, a hook-staff having one end extending downwardly belowthe bait-hooks and being disposed in the forked endof the support and pivoted therewith, guides fixed on the hooksta, a rod mounted in said guides and ivoted with the support, and a compressilole` coiled spring carried by ing oner of thel fixed gui the'rod and engagy des. A In testimony whereof I ai'x my signature presence of two Witnesses.

REUBEN J. HOWSE; Witnesses:

`H. J. KELLER,V L. C. THoMAsoN. 

